Sewer-cleaning mechanism



July 13;-1926. 1,592,357

` L. C. HARQEN v SEWER cumulus uncamrsn Filed March 23, 1926 e011 @Handen in the sewer main. Should the hook become tilted for any reason the outward curvature of the prongs 8 and 9 is such that the lowermost prong, when the hook has been tilted, will form a runner upon which the hook will ride. When in such a tilted position the prong 7 as well as at least one of the prongs 8 and 9 will still extend upwardly into the sewer main and be effective to catch any roots or obstructions and to remove the same upon a reverse pull of the hook.

In operation my improved cleaning hook is attached to the end of any desired form of sewer chain 3 and is then forced into the sewer main. The sewer chain being ef" fective as a plunger when moving longitudinally of the sewer main. 'I he cleaning hook Ll will ride along the bott m of the sewer main causing any accumulated roots which have penetrated the sewer main to ride up over the cam surfaces of the pr ngs T, 8 and 9. After the hook has been forced into the sewer main for a substantial distance it is withdrawn from the sewer' main through the medium of the sewer chain 3, bringing with it masses of entangled roots which have been torn from the interior of the main. The hook can be successively introduced to and removed from the sewer main until the same has been opened and substantially all of the roots removed therefrom. Due to the particular curvature of the prongs of my hook a substantial portion of the cross-sectional area of the sewer main can be cleared of penetrating roots without fear of any ill eil'ects resulting from the catching of a prong of the hook in a joint of the sewer main. Furthermore, the hook will always present two operative prongs re gardless of the tilted position of the hook.

While I have been specific in the 'description and illustration of my invention it is to be understood that the same is applicable to many uses and that in the practice of iny invention I am to be limited only by the scopeof the appended claims.

Iaving thus fully described my invention, what I claim as newl and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. A device of the class described. coniprising a lioolr having an elongated body portion, said body portion having a smooth lower side and being provided at its rear end with means for attaching' the hook to a sewer chain' and terminating at its forward end in sharpened point, said body portion being provided at spaced points with up-' wardly and rearwardly extending prongs,

the arrangement of said prongs being sucln that at least two of said prongs will be main' tained in operative position regardless ofi the tilting of the hook.

2. A cleaning hook for sewer mains coinprising an elongated body portion having' means at one end thereof for att-aching the hook to a sewer chain and provided at its opposite end with a sharp penetrating point, the lower side of said body portion being free from projections and adapted when in operative position to lie upon the lower side of the sewer main, a plurality of upwardly and rearwardly extending prongs carried by `aid body portion to the rear of said 'penetrating point, each of said prongs having formed thereon adjacent its end an oval shoulder, the end of each of said prongs being curved inwardly beyond said shoulder, said shoulders forming guides for the hook when introduced to and removed from a sewer main.

3. A cleaning hook for sewer mains coinprising an elongated body portion having i'z'ieans at one end thereof for attaching the bool; to a sewer chain and provided at its opposite end with a sharp penetrating point, a single upwardly and rearwardly extending prong carried by said body portion slightly to the rear of said penetrating point, said body portion being provided at a point sub, antially intermediate its length with a pair of diverging upwardly and rearwardly extending prongs, said single prong and said pair of diverging prongs being of such length and curvature as to penetrate a substantial portion of the cross-sectional area of the sewer main to be cleaned.

A cleaning hook for sewer mains coinprising an elongated body portion of rodlilre form having means at one en'd thereof for attaching the hook to a sewer cha-in and provided at its opposite end with a sharp penetrating point, a pair of diverging` upwardly and rearwardly extending prongs carried by said body portion to the rear of said penetrating point, said prongs being provided adjacent their ends with oval shoulders adapted to form guides for the hook and prevent catching of the prongs in the joints of the sewer main, the degree of divergence of said prongs being such that at least one of said diverging prongs will extend upwardly into the sewer inain regardless of whatever tilted position the hook may assume.

LEON C. HARDEN.

CII 

